


Winter at Rapunzel's

by Xiutik



Category: Brave (2012), How to Train Your Dragon (Movies), ROTBTD - Fandom, Rise of the Guardians (2012), Tangled (2010)
Genre: F/M, Jackunzel - Freeform, Mericcup, Secret Santa, winter holidays
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-10
Updated: 2020-12-10
Packaged: 2021-03-10 03:55:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27988056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xiutik/pseuds/Xiutik
Summary: In an attempt to form stronger diplomatic relations to the kingdom of Dun'Broch and the Hairy Hooligan clan from Berk, Rapunzel, princess of Corona, invites the respective heirs to the thrones to spend the holidays in her kingdom. All is fair Corona's winter festival.
Relationships: Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III/Jack Frost (Guardians of Childhood)/Merida (Disney)/Rapunzel (Disney), Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III/Merida (Disney), Jack Frost (Guardians of Childhood)/Rapunzel (Disney)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 7





	Winter at Rapunzel's

**Author's Note:**

> A little drabble dedicated to Shiroi Majo for the secret santa exchange. Hope you like it and Happy Holidays!

Rapunzel bounced up and down excitedly as she looked down her balcony. Any moment now the ships of her two guests would arrive at the ports of Corona, and she'd receive them with all the fun activities her kingdom had to offer. This was Rapunzel's second winter after she had escaped the tower, and she was determined to make the most of it. 

A few months back she'd talked to her father, the king, about Corona's relations to other kingdoms far and wide, and as she cheerfully looked at the map of alliances, she noticed two northern kingdoms in the furthest corner of the map. She asked her dad about it, curious about those two dots in the map, and he explained that those were, respectively, the Kingdom of Dun'Broch and the island of Berk. Although they had struck a friendly relationship with Corona, they had no trade deals and barely any diplomatic exchanges, most likely due to the distance, but she was determined: she'd befriend the royalty and improve the relations with those two kingdoms. So she sent multiple letters (oh how she loved having access to mail) and finally arranged a meeting with the representatives of the two countries, each heir to the throne, Princess Merida of Dun'Broch and the son of Berk's chieftain, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III.

Just as Pascal had begun to bug Rapunzel, bored of waiting, two ships appeared in the horizon, one with a red and white flag with a dragon idiom on it and viging shields tied to the sides, and another one, bigger and with a mermaid carved in the bow, waving a gray flag with the symbol of a dagger in its center. The princess hopped excitedly and rushed to the insides of the castle, greeting the guards and the personel, until she finally reached the patio. Out there, she found her lady-in-waiting Cassandra, and her dear friend Eugene. They both joined her in her excited frolicking towards the dock.

"Oh Cass" Rapunzel said dreamily as she walked to the docks, "I hope they like it here. Can you imagine? The princess and prince of two kingdoms could be my new best friends!"

Cassandra smirked, following her friend. "Don't you dare replace me with some stuck up royalty, Raps."

"Yeah, just remember not every princess is as... lighthearted as you, Blondie" Eugene warned, remembering Rapunzel's past experince with the nobility of neighboring kingdoms.

"This time it's gonna be different, I know it will" Rapunzel said, finally stopping in her tracks when they reached the pier. "I've already exchanged mail with the both of them, and they sound so fun!"

Eugene looked towards the growing ships, as they slowly sailed towards where the princess stood. "Well Blondie, I get you're excited, but I think they're gonna take a while before they reach shore."

"Yeah, don't you want to wait somewhere else?" Cassandra asked, tucking the sleeves of her leather coat, trying to cover her fingers. "It is starting to get chilly"

But Rapunzel stayed put, determined to recieve their guests of honor personally. After a few minutes, both ship's sails caught a cold wind that pushed them to the dock. it wasn't long until her guests finally disembark. Hiccup was the first, since the viking ship didn't have many sailors, it took him less time to touch land. Rapunzel rushed towards him, and, holding back the urge to hug him, she introduced herself.

"Good day, I'm Princess Rapunzel" she said, doind a small curtsy as she had practised, "I get you must be the chief's son, Hiccup?" 

Hiccup bowed as well, "Your Royal Highness, a pleassure to meet you"

She smiled widely at him, seeing how tense and awkward he was. He tried to smile back, but he kept looking back to his ship.

"Did you forget something on board? Maybe I can ask some of the guards to-"

"No!" Hiccup exclaimed nervously, "Nothing important, I'll get it in a while."

And Rapunzel would've insisted hadn't it been because, after numerous celtic sailors, the princess of Dun'Broch at last disembarked.

"Aye!" Rapunzel greeted, crossing to the other side of the dock where the other princess had arrived. "I'm Princess Rapunzel, you must be Princess Merida?"

The redheaded girl nodded, doing a stiff curtsy and proceeded to greet the other girl.

"A pleasure to make yer acquaintance," she said, then referred to Hiccup, who had been standind awkwardly behind Rapunzel, "And so to you."

Hiccup bowed once again, "A pleassure as well, I'm Hiccup Haddock the third, but you may call me Hiccup, your Royal Highness."

Merida looked around as to make sure none of her sailors could hear, "Just Merida is fine, aye hate the protocols"

Rapunzel giggled and Hiccup sighed relieved.

"Thank Thor," he said, "I'm always nervous I won't get these things right."

The three laughed and Rapunzel finally led them and their sailors towards the castle, showed them each their lodging and left them to freshen up. Meanwhile, she strolled throguh the garden. It was only three days before the solstice, but she could notice fall had already come to an end. The entire garden was dry, with greyish branghes in the trees and barely any leaves left. She closed her eyes and sighed, taking in the chilly winds, when something tickled her nose. She opened her eyes and before her, she saw a skinny boy, roughly her age, with white hair and deathly pale skin. What had tickled her nose had been a snowflake, and she saw how, as the boy waved a staff he was holding, more and more snowflakes fell from the sky, slowly building upover the windowsills in the palace and the branches around her.

"Woah! You! You brought the first snow of the season!" She said, calling the boy's attention.

"Rapunzel?" Asked the boy, startled. 

She held her hands together, as they both walked towards each other. "Wait, how do you know my name?"

The boy frowned, still surprised, with a slight tint of disappointment. "I've known you all your life. You're the girl from the tower."

She ghasped, unable to hold back tears. it was a taboo to mention the tower near her, and everyone in the palace avoided that topic around her. But this boy, he seemed ungodly familiar. Flashbacks came to her mind. All those cold winters in which her kidnapper, Gothel, left her alone. She spent the colder months knitting blankets and cooking treats and... talking to a winter spirit? It finally hit her, like fog clearing up. Every winter the boy in front of her visited her in her isolation. He'd come flying to her, like a leaf carried by the wind, and he'd keep her company. He used to tell her all about the outside world, and how noone else but her seemed to be able to see him. The tears streaming down her eyes gained strenght, flooding her cheeks and leaving wet stains on her shoulders.

"J-Jack Frost?" she muttered, a name so old, she'd almost forgotten.

"Rapunzel," he laughed, so relieved, "You're free! That's why the tower was empty last winter. You're here!" 

"Jack!" she said, fully remembering. Finally, she rushed to hug him.

He was as cold as an icicle, but the hug brought her such warmth. He was one of the very few things worth remembering, and she felt so guilty for not having remembered earlier.

"I was so scared, i thought i'd never see you again," he admitted, letting her go of the hug.

She laughed, genuinely happy to see her only other friend besides Pascal.

"Um, Princess?" a voice behind Rapunzel said, she turned around to find Hiccup in the entrance. "Sorry, I just- Am I supposed to be somewhere?"

Rapunzel smiled, "Oh well, we don't have any activities planned until later in the evening, but you can join me."

"Oh, sorry, I didn't realise you were with someone." Hiccup stuttered, "I'm Hiccup"

Jack looked at the chiefling with mouth agape. "You can see me?"

Hiccup quirked an eyebrow. "Um... Yes?"

"I-I can't believe this! You can see me!" Jack danced up and down, snow swirling around him as to reflect his mood, "I'm Jack Frost! And you can see me!"

Curious by the conmotion, Merida walked to the gardens as well.

"Rapunzel? Hiccup? Who is this friend of yous?" She asked,joining the othrer three.

"Wait, you can see me too?" Jack asked, unable to believe the scene unfolding before him.

"Yer not exactly hiding very well, ye kin?" Merida answered, giving the stranger a good look.

"Merida, Hiccup, this is Jack Frost. He kept me company... when I was younger" Rapunzel explained, "He's a winter spirit."

Something seemed to click on Hiccup's head and his face lit up. "Oh I know you, you're Jokul Frosti! Man, I thought you were just a bedtime story."

Jack quirked an eyebrow. "Jokul Frosti? Only the Norse call me that."

"I'm from Berk. You know, where you almost killed everyone with a six-month blizzard."

Merida laughed, "Vengeful spirit, aren't ye?"

"No, no, no, I didn't mean it to happen. I was just experimenting. one of the vikings saw my footprints in the snow, but couldn't see me, so I tried to give them a message with the storm." Jack explained, pointing at his bare feet.

"Oh! So that's why we need to hang socks during Snoggletog!" Hiccup said, placing a finger over his chin, "Legend said you were looking for your socks and you wouldn't leave Berk until you found them."

"Eh, actually I left because you weirdos started hanging socks in your doors." He shrugged, "Bunch a crazy hooligans."

"I know your kind" Merida said, pointing an accusatory finger towards the white haired boy, "You're a wayward spirit. The woods in Dun'Broch are full of those, most people can't see them, but the Will o the Wisps always lead me towards them."

"Huh." Rapunzel said, curious about the kind of adventures Merida had, seeming how used she was to encountering spirits. "Well, why don't youj stay for the Solstice Festival, Jack?"

He didn't need to think about it before nodding ecxitedly.

The next day, Rapunzel gave Hiccup and Merida a tour through the main plaza. She had fond memories of that place, tied directly to her first day outside of her tower. By that time of the year, it was decorated with paper lanterns like the ones of her birthday, plus mistletoe and tinsel hung from posts to posts. everything was covered by a light layer of yesterday's snow, and wherever they walked, Jack gave a soft touch of frost over untouched surfaces, making it seem as if winter was following the princesses' footsteps.

"Today, everyone is working on the preparations for Corona's traditional Solstice Festival," Rapunzel explained, passing the stores that emmanated smells like gingerbread and eggnog. "It's so fun, and the main reason I invited you two!"

"So, like Snoggletog?" Hiccup asked, eyeing a big tree that was being decorated with candles various red fruits. "Back in Berk we also celebrate the beginning of the winter by hanging all our shields from a tree and letting out socks for Jack."

"Please tell them to stop that, I'll never wear socks as long as I live" Jack said.

"Ye sure yer alive, laddle?" Merida muttered, but thankfully Jack couldn't hear it. "Quick question, Rapunzel. Are your people aware mistletoe's poisonous?"

Rapunzel blushed a little, "Why of course, we don't hang it to eat it."

"Then what for?" Hiccup asked, his interest poked.

"Well," Rapunzel said, picking a mistletoe branch from a bench and playing with it, "It's said to help warm people's hearts during the winter. They hang it around, over corners and benches, and if two people find themselves standing underneath the same branch they... kiss."

Merida's eyes widened. She looked around, frantically searching, hoping she hadn't accidentally been standing under mistletoe. She finally relaxed when she made sure the coast was clear.

"Huh, that actually sounds kinda sweet." Jack chuckled, "Much more heartwarming than hanging out socks to avoid blizzards."

Hiccup blew air out of his nose, not knowing what to say to make his traditions look any less ridiculous.

"And what about that lassie?" Asked Merida, pointing to a young lady in a white dress, wearing a crown made of mistletoe.

"Ah! That's the mistletoe maiden!" Rapunzel clasped her hands cheerfully, "Every year we choose a different girl to be the bearer of the crown. She has to walk around the plaza in her crown, kissing those who lack cheer. If she demands a kiss from you, you have to kiss her. I was the mistletoe maiden last year."

Hiccup eyed the maiden in question, careful not to be seen by her. Not that he was disgusted by the idea, but he also wasn't looking forward to kissing a stranger.

"Allright, so far the ground rules are to avoid mistletoe at all costs." Merida said, taking a defensive stance.

Jack carefully took the mistletoe branch Rapunzel har been carrying and tied it to the top of his staff.

"Also, avoid Jack too" Hiccup said, pointing to the top of Jacks staff. 

Merida blushed furiously. "Noted."

The four of them laughed and continued with their way, in awe of all the cheerful celebrations.

By nightfall, the festival officially begun. Most people were either dancing in the plaza, eating various wintery treats or sining carols. The air smelled like sugar and spices, and multiple paper lanterns lighted the place. Rapunzel, Merida, Hiccup and Jack went back to the castle to pick up presents Rapunzel planned on giving out to the children during the festival. As Merida and Hiccup were talking, Jack noticed how unusually close they were and put his newly decorated staff to use. He stealthly walked towards them and extended his staff over them, in order to leave the mistletoe hanging over the couple. Rapunzel looked up from the pile of gifts to see their friends in the uncanny possition and giggled.

"Hey Hiccup, Merida?" she said, smiling mischievously, "Look up."

The couple did as their friend said, to find Jack's staff hovering over them and the infamous mistletoe branch hanging from it.

"Ya numpty bampot" Merida cussed, fanning her face with one of her hands as she blushed terribly.

Hiccup also blushed, scratching the back of his neck nervously. Merida took a deep breath and grabbed Hiccup by the collar of his whool shirt. She stood on her tiptoes and planted a short and shy kiss on his lips. They both backed away instantly. laughing nervously.

Rapunzel smiled fondly. "Let's give out these presents, shall we?"


End file.
